A top-ten WTA player has now undergone surgery ahead of the US Open, confirming that she will be out of action for some time.
It marks a big blow for the tour, which will be severely weakened without this star’s presence.
This year has been a gruelling one for many tennis stars, with Grigor Dimitrov’s recent devastating injury sustained midway through his Wimbledon match against Jannik Sinner chief among them.
There, the tennis world watched on as the Bulgarian wiped away tears, forced to retire despite being two sets to love up against the world number one.
He was wiping the floor with Jannik Sinner, and saw the chance for the greatest scalp snatched away from him.
And whilst this ailment to Qinwen Zheng was not quite as dramatically sustained, it will hurt the Chinese star just as much.
Qinwen Zheng undergoes surgery ahead of US Open
Taking to RedNote, a Chinese social media platform, she posted a picture of her in a hospital bed accompanied by a long message.
There, she explained the extent of her elbow injury which has forced her into surgery, whilst also providing a brief update on how long fans can expect her to be out for.
Fortunately, she notes that it all went smoothly, finishing her claim by simply writing: “I’ll be back, fully recharged. See you on court soon.”
It’s such a shame that this has occurred just after Zheng was given a rankings boost after Wimbledon despite her first-round exit.
Qinwen Zheng would have been a threat for the US Open
It’s such a shame that this injury and subsequent surgery have come so close to the US Open, making her potential availability highly unlkely.
Especially given the 22-year-old would have been a very credible threat for the title in New York, even if her 2025 has been somewhat unpredictable.
A second-round exit in Melbourne marked a poor performance, before she backed that up by rushing into the quarterfinals at Roland Garros.
Zheng endured yet another early exit at Wimbledon though, this time losing in the first round, leaving the US Open as her last chance of showcasing the progression she has made.
Having reached the quarterfinals in the previous two years, it feels like she is building towards something, even if she is yet to win a title this year.
After all, making the finals of the Australian Open in the past has proven her penchant for this surface. Hopefully, she can make a miraculous recovery in time to prove why she should always be considered a threat for these elite honours.
Although, it’s not looking likely.
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